Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-11-11

it will he a great wonder to me-
The Bowser men die hard, but they
have to die as well as other folks.
Do | look like a man struck with
death ?"
oNOt bit of it. / never saw you
look more healthy
"Nlrs. Bowser, don't you deceive
me- Deceiviug a dying husband
is an awful crime. Has the door
bell been muffled and the girl told
that no callers are admitted p
"Certainly not"
"And aren't you gong to send
the baby over to mothers until You
see whether die or get we'll ?"
"Not a bit of 1t. Don't be a boo
By, Mr.. Bowser. W hen | broke
two ribs last tall you simply re-
marked that I ought to know bet
ter than to fall against board"
"Ahl | see how it is," he walled,
"yOu want me out of the way so
You can marry again and get a
dude for husband. Well, | am
helpless. Please dc not cut my
throat or poison me, but let me die
of this hnrt y
tucked him up and patted his
head and he cried. He wanted me
to hold his head and ! sat and held
it until he fell asleep. Then | went
up stairs to do a little work, and
hadn't been gone over fifteen min
utes when heard him shouting at
the top of his voice. | ran down
and he thundered at me:
"Is this your love for your Grip
pied and dying husbandW
81 had some work to do.'
"Work can you think of work
while l lay here suffering untold
agOnies What is making up a
darn old spare bed compared to the
life of your husband? Are yOu in a
hurry to see Grape on the dOorW
"COme, Mr.. BOwser, don't be un-
reasonable. l will do everything
for your comfort, but things around
the house must be seen to.
There are certain facts and sta.
tistics which find 1t best to jOt
down in pencil. /. iotted some
down during the first three hours
Mr.. Bowser was under my care
with that accident, and here they
are:
Looked at the ankle twenty-three
times, and each time solemnly as
sured him 1t was no worse.
Bathed the ankle six times, al
though there was not the slightest
need of more than two applications.
Patted him on the head and as
sured him he would live twenty
seven times.
Turned his pillow over fourteen
times. This also included assur-
ing him that his mishap would be
mentioned IN the papers, and that
he would probably he referred to
as the Hon. Bowser.
Made two sorts OF Cruel, one sort
of soup, two sorts of tea, one sort
of lemonade and assured him that
in case the limb mortified I'd have
it amputated in time to save his
precious life.
Lied to him seven times. Had to
do it. Three different times when
the doOr.bell rang and / went to
the door and fired tramps off the
steps | had to tell Mr.. BOwser that
prominent citizens had sent mes
sengers up to ask after his situation
and to say that he need worry
about nothing.
When evening came MIR. BOwseT
had slight fever and he grew
more pettlsh. He wanted me to
telegraph to his brother in Japan,
his sister in California, and to tele.
phone for the doctor. He also
wanted lawyer to draw up a will
a neighbOr to come in and see about
his life insurance, and cried several
times as he thought of my marry
ing again and taking my second
husband up to spit tObaccO.juict
on his grave. put in an awfuI
night with him. He heard cats
and burglars and forty Other
noises, and he refused to 90 tC
sleep for fear he'd die without know
ing it. At midnight, after / had
helped him turn over about twenty
times and had upset his pillow
until the case was worn threadbare
he wanted me to telephone the
doctor aud ask if a sprained ankle
ever struck to the heart. ! rang uI
the central and the following con
versatiOn seemed to take place;
"Doctor, Mr.. Bowser has growr
steadily worse since you left and
don't believe he can live an hOul
longer. Yes, have done as yor
told me. Oh, you knew he'd die
before morning, eh7 Oh, yes,
shall be pretty well fixed for 6
widow. About six hacks, guess
I'm no hand to make a spread at {